Alto, a new Dallas-based ride-hailing business, will launch the first phase of its service beginning NOvember 12, with on-demand rides managed by Bestmile’s Mobility Services Platform.

Alto selected Bestmile as its back-end platform partner for the introduction of a new kind of ridehailing experience. Alto is focused on delivering exceptional passenger service. It starts with safety, using professional drivers, and a dedicated fleet of cars. With Bestmile providing the service management platform, Alto has been able to enter the market faster and differentiate from larger peer-to-peer service providers.

“Alto is maniacal about the passenger experience. By partnering with Bestmile and adopting its Mobility Services Platform, we’ve been able to achieve our mission to differentiate in a market that has become defined by the need for safety and consistency,” said Will Coleman, CEO of Alto.

Beyond peer-to-peer ridehailing

Currently, peer-to-peer transportation network companies (TNCs) largely rely on under-optimized fleets, which has resulted in disjointed service, increased traffic congestion, and susceptibility to security problems. Guided by the motto of “You drive us,” Alto places a high emphasis on the customer experience, offering a new class of service that’s unmatched in safety, efficiency and overall ambiance.

“The ridehailing industry is booming, and while it is marked with well-recognized brands, it is also ripe for disruption by savvy tech brands that have seen the gap in vehicle efficiency and rider experience and safety, and can fill that with innovative new services,” said Roger Lanctot, Director of Automotive Connected Mobility at Strategy Analytics. “While the incumbents have captured at most about two percent of vehicle miles traveled in the U.S., newer services entering the field are poised to capture and capitalize on the customer experience and improved vehicle management, something that riders and cities continue to demand.”

Through its partnership with Bestmile, Alto is filling a significant gap in the mobility market. The new service gives customers control of the ride, allowing them to “set the vibe” from the lighting to the music. Alto’s business model revolves around a monthly membership fee giving members significant discounts on each trip.

A coordinated and intelligent mobility service

Fleet optimization and routing services are managed by Bestmile’s intelligent mobility services technology. With its proprietary ride matching and dispatching algorithms, Bestmile’s Mobility Services Platform enables Alto to deliver a coordinated and intelligent mobility service, providing more control over key performance indicators such as pick-up and wait times, routing efficiency, and vehicle utilization.

“The limitations and downsides of peer-to-peer services for drivers, travelers, and cities are exposing opportunities for new kinds of services,” said Raphael Gindrat, CEO of Bestmile. “We’ve partnered with Alto to develop a platform that enables it to monitor and manage service performance and KPIs so that it can deliver a new kind of mobility experience.”

Reduced risks and accelerated time to market

Alto also used Bestmile’s new Service Design Offering in its service planning process. The professional service helped Alto simulate its planned service and allowed the company to test multiple variables like fleet size, vehicle positioning, and vehicle capacity, with the goal of optimizing KPIs such as vehicle utilization, excess ride times, and pickup time deviations, all prior to launch. The findings from the Service Design Offering served as the playbook for the new service, helping Alto reduce risk and accelerate its time to market.

Because Bestmile’s platform supports both human-driven and autonomous vehicles, Alto is also prepared for the evolution of mobility services from ridehailing today to the future of hybrid and ultimately all-autonomous services.